- Customer:
Is there a feature that allows me to track expenses, revenue, etc., for a specific customer, department, or project?
- Me:
Uhm, yes. Here we have a module called Dimension; actually, I'm not sure if there's a better name for it.. It works like this...
Yep. That's something that's been repeated a lot in ERP consulting sessions with my clients.
Dimension is technically correct, but it is not the best user-facing module name.
To ERP developers and accountants, a dimension means an additional classification attached to a transaction, such as Department, Project, Branch, Region, or Cost Centre. To most business users, however, “Dimension” is abstract and does not immediately explain what the module helps them accomplish.
The naming problem
The word Dimension describes the data structure, not the business purpose.
A user does not usually think:
“I need to assign a dimension.”
They think:
“Which department incurred this cost?”
“How profitable is this project?”
“What is the performance of this branch?”
“How should this expense be allocated?”
“Show revenue by region and product line.”
A better module name should evoke classification, responsibility, performance, cost tracking, and managerial reporting.